Federal investigators are now actively analyzing steering rack parts that have been linked to thousands of Tesla crashes. Typically, an engineering analysis is the last investigative step before the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issues a recall.
Affected drivers reported being unable to turn the steering wheel either while driving or when starting their vehicles. Most reports were for vehicles traveling between 5 mph and 35 mph — with at least one steering wheel failure at 75 mph, the Office of Defects Investigation said.
k9am%96 AC@36’D AC@8C6DDk^9am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmx? 2 u63] ` 2??@F?46>6?E[ E96 }w%$p’D ~77:46 @7 s6764ED x?G6DE:82E:@? D2:5 :E’D 6D42=2E:?8 E96 AC@36 :?:E:2==J @A6?65 @? yF=J ag[ a_ab] %96 :?:E:2= 6G2=F2E:@? DE6>>65 7C@> `a C6A@CED 3J a_ab |@56= b 2?5 * @H?6CD] p55:E:@?2==J[ :?G6DE:82E@CD F?4@G6C65 a[aec 4@>A=2:?ED E9C@F89 >2?F724EFC6C 52E2]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm|@DE 5C:G6CD C6A@CE65 D66:?8 2 H2C?:?8 >6DD286 2C@F?5 E96 E:>6 @7 E96 DE66C:?8 72:=FC6] x? 2E =62DE d_ 42D6D[ 5C:G6CD H6C6 F?23=6 E@ >@G6 E96:C G69:4=6D 27E6C E96 DE66C:?8 72:=FC6 2?5 925 E@ 36 E@H65 @FE @7 :?E6CD64E:@?D[ C@25H2JD[ 5C:G6H2JD[ 2?5 A2C<:?8 =@ED[ E96 ~sx D2:5]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm%FC?:?8 E96 %6D=2 @77 2?5 324< @? E6>A@C2C:=J D@=G65 E96 AC@3=6> 7@C D@>6 %6D=2 @H?6CD[ 3FE E96 AC@3=6> C64FCC65] #6A=24:?8 E96 DE66C:?8 C24< C6D@=G65 E96 :DDF6]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9am%6D=2’D EC@F3=6Dk^9am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm%96 9:89 D2=6D AC:46 @7 %6D=2D :D?’E E96 @?=J 9:89 4@DE 5C:G6CD @7 E96 t'D 7246] %6D=2 42C :?DFC2?46 :D 9:DE@C:42==J 9:896C E92? 4@G6C286 7@C @E96C >2<6D — 2? 2G6C286 @7 Sab` A6C >@?E9 7@C 2 |@56= b[k^DA2?m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^:?DFC:7J]4@>^42C\:?DFC2?46^G69:4=6^E6D=2^>@56=\b^QmkDEC@?8mkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W`f[ gd[ a_cXQmx?DFC:7J 52E2 D9@HDk^DA2?mk^DEC@?8mk^2mkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm] %96 2G6C286 7@C 2 |@56= * :D Sa_d A6C >@?E9] qJ 4@?EC2DE[ E96 @G6C2== ?2E:@?2= 2G6C286 4@DE @7 42C :?DFC2?46 :D S`ca A6C >@?E9]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm%96 9:89 4@DE @7 C6A=246>6?E A2CED D:8?:7:42?E=J 4@?EC:3FE6D E@ 9:896C :?DFC2?46 4@DED 7@C %6D=2 @H?6CD] p?5 E96 56D:8? @7 D@>6 %6D=2D >2<6D :E ?62C=J :>A@DD:3=6 E@ C6A=246 2 52>2865 32EE6CJ — >62?:?8 2? 244:56?E E92E H@F=5 @E96CH:D6 36 >:?@C >2J E@E2= 2 %6D=2 :7 E96 244:56?E 52>286D E96 32EE6CJ]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmx? a_`h[ %6D=2 =2F?4965 :ED @H? E6=6>2E:4D\32D65 42C :?DFC2?46 AC@5F4E :? D6=64E DE2E6D] %96 4@G6C286 C6=:6D @? C62=\E:>6 52E2 E92E EC24<D 5C:G6C 3692G:@C FD:?8 E649?@=@8J 2=C625J 2G2:=23=6 :? |@56=D $[ )[ *[ 2?5 b G69:4=6D] qFE %6D=2 :?DFC2?46 :D 4FCC6?E=J 724:?8 2 4=2DD\24E:@? =2HDF:E 3J A@=:4J9@=56CD H9@ D2J %6D=2 @G6C492C865 E96> 32D65 @? 72=D6 7@CH2C5\4@==:D:@? H2C?:?8D]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9am(92E’D ?6IEnk^9am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmp7E6C 2 AC6=:>:?2CJ 6G2=F2E:@? @7 52E2 2?5 5@4F>6?ED[ E96 ~sx H:== ?@H 4@?5F4E 2? 6?8:?66C:?8 2?2=JD:D @7 E96 27764E65 DE66C:?8 C24<D] %96 2?2=JD:D >2J :?4=F56 255:E:@?2= :?7@C>2E:@? C6BF6DED E@ %6D=2[ :?7@C>2E:@? C6BF6DED E@ @E96C >2?F724EFC6CD[ 2?5 A2CED E6DE:?8]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmx7 E96 2?2=JD:D 7:?5D 2 56764E E92E 27764ED G69:4=6 D276EJ[ E96 }w%$p 42? C6BF:C6 %6D=2 E@ :DDF6 2 C642== @7 27764E65 >@56=D]k^DA2?mk^Am